Last To Know
by Red Cassis
Summary: Ginny Weasley works at Vanity Ray, a Muggle newspaper, in San Fransisco. For two years, she had vanished from the wizarding world. But now she's back at the request of her boss, to do an article of someone she thought she'd never set eyes on again.


**Author's Note:** I wrote this for the 2009 DGficexchange over at LiveJournal.

Even though this doesn't quite follow the prompt as  
requested, I did try to write it that way I saw.

**_____**

**Last To Know**

The mirror stood in front of her and as she gazed into it, her reflection frowned back at her. Ginny sniffed the air and cringed as she gathered all of her hair on top of her head, twisting this way and that.

Her frown deepened as she tore herself from the spot and headed toward the bathroom. She shut the door, padded across the cool tile floor, and turned on the water. As she waited for the water to warm up, her mind drifted to different things, and she sighed.

It had been difficult, and still was, these past few months with the recognition that she was alone. It had taken a lot out of Ginny when her previous relationship didn't work out; they had shared a lot of things, including this apartment, and some of his things still sat in her closet, boxed away.

One night when she had been looking for a certain set of shoes, Ginny came across several letters that Max had written her when they first started dating. They had been so sweet and caring that Ginny didn't have the heart to throw them out.

Last month, to her utter amazement, someone had expressed an interest in her; though she had met him at a bar, that didn't stop her from enjoying their time together, however short it had been.

A feeling passed in her brain for a moment before she realised what it was – she felt guilty for not going on a date with a seemingly perfect person who she refused to take any more calls from after one night of dinner and drinks.

Now that she thought about it, she couldn't even remember his name.

Shaking her head, she grabbed a towel, hung it on the rack beside the shower, and stepped in. She shut the door behind her and leaned against the wall, another sigh rattling out of her.

When she was done, she wrapped the towel around herself and padded across the floor and over to the sink, where she gazed at her hazy reflection in the foggy glass overhead.

Sighing, Ginny dressed in a white blouse and black slacks, and then walked into the hallway and to her bedroom. She shut the door and sat on her bed, momentarily lost in thought.

Being late for work was not something Ginny prided herself on, but sometimes it happened. This was one of those times, and she knew her boss would be angry if she walked in twenty minutes late.

Samantha Devlin, by all means, was a devil of a woman. She owned the local newspaper, Vanity Ray, and Ginny was the journalism reporter.

Suddenly, Ginny stared at the clock on her bedside table, and her eyes widened. Not only was she late for work, but she completely had forgotten about the article that was due today.

"Fuck!" she hissed as she leapt from the bed and started to rummage through the desk on the other side of the room. It was covered with papers, and she didn't see what she needed anywhere. "Damn, where is it?"

A piece of paper with the words _Local, Wealthy Men_ lay on the floor at her feet as she stared down. She bent and picked it up, leaving a bigger mess in her wake as she left the room.

An idea occurred to Ginny as she ran into the living room, effectively tripping over a pair of heels and into the arm of the couch. She cursed loudly as she grabbed her keys from the mantle over the fireplace. She left her apartment quickly.

She wandered into the local restaurant and sat down at one of the tables.

Samantha could wait.

With Ginny being as punctual as she was, she deserved a little time to herself; and to write one hell of an article required isolation and concentration.

"Can I get you something?" a pleasant-faced woman asked as she came toward Ginny.

"Tea," murmured the redhead without looking up.

"You work for Samantha Devlin?" the woman asked, not moving an inch, her eyes wide. "Oh, wow."

Ginny had begun to ask how she knew that, but then her eyes drifted to the article, the words _Vanity Ray Chronicles_ splayed across the page.

"How is it?" the waitress asked excitedly.

"I've been there long enough to know how things work." Ginny shrugged.

The woman had fired off question after question, and much to Ginny's annoyance, didn't even stop when the redhead threw her a glare and sighed heavily.

"Can I just have my tea?" she mumbled.

When her tea finally arrived, Ginny scowled as she stared at the cup of non-steaming liquid.

Cold tea was the least of her problems right now. She didn't have to look at her watch to know that she was over an hour late.

She was gone before the waitress could apologize for the service.

* * *

Stepping into Vanity Ray was still a slightly intimidation on Ginny's part, even after working here for the past two years. Sometimes the atmosphere was bitter, and that's when you could tell you had to tread lightly, especially if you were to run into Samantha.

When Ginny eyed the receptionist, Lucy, she smiled.

"You're ass in is a vice," Lucy commented as she walked by. She watched the redhead stop, then turn to look at her.

Ginny scowled.

Lucy always had been difficult to get along with, especially since Ginny had basically been handed her position, effectively bumping Lucy down to answer phones.

The dark-haired girl smirked as Ginny walked toward the elevators. While she waited for it, she heard rushing footsteps behind her.

"Where the hell have _you_ been?" shrieked a voice. "I've been waiting for over an hour!"

Ginny heaved out a sigh, straightened up, and turned around.

Samantha Devlin was a beautiful woman; long, dark hair with piercing green eyes. She always seemed to dress as though her entire life were put on display for all to see.

The illusion of allure disappeared, however, when something or someone thoroughly displeased her. It was as though a monster had reared its ugly head.

"Well, Ginger?" she demanded.

Ginny bristled at her words. In two years, the woman had never bothered to learn her name.

"It's Ginny," she said harshly. "And before you ask, no, I didn't get to finish the article."

"What could have possibly detained you? You're a reporter – what other life do you have?"

Mrs. Devlin's green eyes narrowed as she spoke, then she sucked in a breath, letting it out slowly. She might have been contemplating embarrassing Ginny right there, so that whoever walked by could hear, or just revile her in private.

Ginny closed her eyes, waiting.

"You will do nothing more today than work on that. Do you understand me?" she said, clearly stunning the redhead. "Now you can leave."

Sighing with relief, Ginny was quick to get into the elevator. As she waited for her floor, and watched the numbers overhead, she wondered what had just happened.

One explanation sat on the edge of her brain, and it was quite terrifying.

Samantha was being nice.

As she reached her floor, Ginny stepped off, and looked around; the hallway was long, with more than five doors on each side, home to many other workers.

At the end of the hall was her office, and as she started forward, she heard a door behind her fly open. She didn't turn around, hoping the person would walk in the other direction.

"Ginny!" someone squealed.

As Ginny turned her head slightly, she saw a figure waddling toward her. "Hi," she said quietly.

The rather portly, short-haired woman staring at her was Grace Harper, and she knew just how to get under everyone's skin without fully meaning to.

"I didn't think you were coming in today," Grace said, smiling. "I'm glad you did. I'm having a party tonight. Do you think you can come?" she asked excitedly.

Ginny opened the door to her office. "I'd like to, but I've got a lot of work to do." Half truth never hurt anyone, right?

"You do?" Grace asked, looking crestfallen. "Can't you put it off for a few hours?"

Before Ginny could stop herself, she heard the words leave her mouth, "I'm not going to lose my job for some stupid party."

Behind her, Grace had become uncharacteristically quiet.

"I'm sorry," Ginny said immediately as she walked further into her office, placing the unfinished article on her desk. Quickly, she turned to see the pain in Grace's eyes.

Grace stared at Ginny with a mixture of emotions playing on her plump face, and then she retreated into her office, slamming the door.

"Shit," Ginny mumbled as she collapsed into the chair behind her desk, putting her head in her hands.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

After dropping off the now finished article, Ginny headed to the elevator once more. She heard something, then, behind her. She was ready for Samantha this time.

"That's my best," she said without turning. "If you want to toss it, you can."

"It's me," said a familiar voice. "Goodnight, Ginny."

Slightly startled, the redhead turned around, her brown eyes focusing on the woman who addressed her.

"Goodnight, Grace," Ginny said softly, surprise evident in her voice.

Then she stepped into the elevator.

"Hey! Hold that, please!" someone shouted.

Just as the doors started to slide closed, a hand grasped one and pulled, then the person emerged.

Ginny's eyes shifted to the floor.

Steven Archer smiled at her and brushed a hand through his short, brown hair. He had started here a few months after Ginny, and she'd never been able to form a coherent sentence in his presence.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I upset Grace today," she admitted.

"Grace is a sensitive person." Steven shrugged. "Sometimes you can't help it."

"She looked so hurt," Ginny explained. "I just told her what I was thinking. I didn't want to lie."

"Well, what did you say?"

Ginny stared at the numbers overhead, thankful for the distraction as she gathered her thoughts.

"I told her I didn't want to go to the party she was having, because it wasn't worth losing my job over."

"I can see why she got mad," Steven said without hesitation. "Grace is very fond of you, Ginny."

"She is?" Ginny muttered, feeling worse than she had before.

"Yes," he said. "For one reason or another she considers you a great friend. How would you feel if you were in her position?"

"I wouldn't feel too good at all," she said, glancing at him.

As the doors opened to reveal the main floor, Steven stepped out, and then he turned around as she followed.

"How about going out for a drink?"

"I think that would be nice," she said, nodding. "I could use something with a kick right about now."

"How about we go and get a beer?"

Lucy looked up unexpectedly from her work, her eyes bright. "Something wrong, Steve? You look nervous."

"No," he muttered, glancing at her. "I was just asking Ginny out for a drink."

"Is that so?" Lucy wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Ginny replied, nodding.

"She's a little annoyed with you, isn't she?" Steven whispered as they walked out of the building and into the street.

"She's only mad because she thinks I stole her job," Ginny said. "Besides that, I think she likes you. She glances at you every chance she gets."

Steven stopped walking and stared at her. "Really?"

"You never noticed?"

"Honestly, no. I'm too busy with work to pay anyone any mind."

"It doesn't mean you can't ever have a social life," Ginny reminded him.

"Do you?" he asked. "I've never seen you ask anyone to get drinks after work."

Steven stared at her.

"What? I have other friends," Ginny snapped. She was slightly annoyed now. "Why do you care so much about my life anyway?"

"No one else around here seems to be," he said softly. "Grace is worse off than you. No one asks about her day, and no one ever has."

"Why do you ask about my day?" she said quietly.

Steven blinked at her, and underneath the streetlights, his eyes flicked with something Ginny couldn't determine. When he spoke, his voice was soft.

"I like you, Ginny."

There was a stone cold silence for a few minutes, the only noise were the cars in the distance, and the wind.

"Are you going to say anything?" he murmured. He looked embarrassed.

"I-I like you too," she stammered after a few minutes. "So, where are we going?"

"There's a place a few blocks from here," he responded. "You'll enjoy it, I promise."

The bar held more people than she expected, and when Steven grabbed her hand to pull her through the throng, she felt her cheeks heat up and a fluttering start low in her stomach.

"There are a lot of people here," she murmured nervously. She was close enough that he could hear her perfectly.

They sat down at the bar, and Ginny took a look around, immediately becoming uncomfortable as she spotted a man staring at her.

"What's wrong?" Steven asked, noting her expression. He handed her a beer.

"I'm being stared at," she said uncomfortably. She pointed to the man practically leering at her. "He's old enough to be my father."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Steven's mouth as he whispered, "Let's give him something to stare at."

Ginny had no time to respond as she felt his warm hand slid against her neck as it settled in her hair. He brought his head forward and brushed his lips against hers, sending a spark through her entire body.

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the curtains and into the room, illuminating the floor, the bed, and the two figures lying on it; the woman lifted her head slowly, her red hair falling in front of her eyes. Then she let out a shriek and covered her mouth.

"Shit!"

"Hm?" came a low, groggy voice next to her.

"Steven, wake up!"

His eyes snapped open and he blinked at her.

"What's going on?" he murmured. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "Why are you freaking out?"

"We slept together!" Ginny nearly shouted. "Fuck!"

"Yes, we did that," he said, grinning. "You're quite loud outside of work."

Ginny scowled at him, momentarily getting a nice view of his chest as he shifted beside her.

"This isn't right," she said. She immediately wanted to take it back as she looked at his face. "I mean-"

"It's going to be nice to explain to Mrs. Devlin," said Steven with a frown. He barely registered her words. "She'll love this."

"Not as much as Lucy," Ginny reminded him.

He leaned in and brushed his lips against her neck. He enjoyed watching her twitch and listening to the tiny noise she made in the back of her throat as she pulled him closer.

"We should get dressed," he whispered, his hands traveling down to her hips. She sucked in a whimper and he smiled. "You don't want to be late again."

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him. She got up, gathered her clothes, and walked into the hallway. She leaned against the bathroom door and stared at him.

"Stay," she murmured. "I don't need any more distractions."

He frowned.

Ginny listened to the man move around in her bed as she shut the door and locked it. Leaning against it, she sighed.

All of this had happened because he kissed her. The kiss wasn't exactly the problem, nor was that fact that they had sex; it was more of how she felt about him.

Steven Archer was handsome, there was no denying that, and the fact that he might actually want to be with her scared her more than she could ever say.

A knock on the door interrupted her thought. "Gin, are you alright?"

"Yes," she murmured.

"I'm going to run out for some coffee. Would you like me to get you something?"

"No," she mumbled as she turned on the shower. She sat on the edge of the tub for a few minutes before she heard his voice again.

"Alright, I'll see you soon."

When she was sure he was gone, she stepped into the tub, letting the water drench her hair and body. He eyes closed and her mind started to drift; most of it was a blur after the alcohol had consumed her. She vaguely remembered getting home, let alone what they had done once they got here.

When she was done, she dressed in a white blouse with charcoal-colored slacks with a matching jacket. She knelt down and opened the cabinet under the sink and began to rummage through it.

She pulled out her wand, which was hidden, and charmed her hair dry. She put it away and closed the door. She couldn't let him find it, because he would never understand.

It had been hard enough to leave her family and move to America for the job offer at San Francisco's most prestigious magazine, Vanity Ray, but to have someone like Steven find out her secret was very dangerous.

She tied her hair in a tight bun and exited the bathroom. Steven hadn't appeared to be back just yet, and Ginny was slightly thankful for that.

"You look nice," said a voice. Steven had reappeared with coffee and what Ginny assumed to be doughnuts. "Here," he said, handing her the bag. "I bought you a doughnut."

"Thank you," she murmured as she took the bag and opened it, finding a cream-filled pastry.

He smiled. "I should have picked up something for Samantha."

"Oh, she'll have Lucy do that," said Ginny as she waved her hand dismissively.

Steven chuckled as they left.

When they reached the building, Steven held the door open for Ginny. As they walked inside and neared the receptionist desk, Lucy looked up.

"You look like you had a good night," she said to Steven as he approached. "What did you do?"

"We had fun," Ginny murmured.

Steven recognized the tension and immediately broke it by saying, "Hey, Lucy, any messages for me?"

"No," she said, barely paying attention to him. She was looking at Ginny with a hard gaze. "Oh, and a piece of advice – tread lightly."

He put an arm around Ginny's waist and pulled her toward the elevator. Both of them heard Lucy sigh with frustration behind them.

As the doors slid shut, Steven moved to kiss her. She accepted without hesitation, her eyes shutting as she wound her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

"Isn't this a sight?" said a voice, rather unexpectedly. "It looks like you two had more fun last night than originally planned."

The woman stood a few feet from them. If Ginny hadn't known any better (because neither felt the elevator stop), she'd think that Samantha could sense what was going on, and pried the doors open mid-level.

"Mrs. Devlin!" Ginny gasped, breaking away from Steven. "I didn't hear it stop."

"Of course not," Samantha muttered. Then she turned her green eyes on Steven. "Well, Mr. Archer?"

"What's wrong with this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What's _wrong_?" she repeated. "You are testing my patience," she said as the doors slid open once more.

"I have work to do," said Steven through clenched teeth. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

The doors closed again, leaving the two women alone in a deafening silence.

Ginny watched the numbers overhead and waited. She was fearful of being fired, either here or in public, and she wasn't sure what she would do if she was.

"Your article was excellent."

Ginny's eyes widened as she looked over at her boss.

"Thank you."

"I didn't expect anything less from you," Samantha complimented. "You're a fantastic writer, Miss. Weasley." She paused. "Now, about you and Mr. Archer…"

"I'll end it today," the redhead said.

"Do you honestly care what I think?"

"I value my job, ma'am, as well as Steven's. He's a good worker."

Samantha glanced at her. "I don't hire people who can't do their job, dear. You will be forced to terminate the relationship if it complicates things. Do I make myself clear?"

Ginny blinked at her. Clearly she'd misunderstood something.

"Are you serious?" she asked.

"If you care about him and think you can juggle the two things, you're obligated to try."

"What about the no intra-office dating rule?"

Samantha gave her a small smile. "I can make rules and break them whenever I wish. People would say that it's not right to let co-workers date, because it interferes with their job, but sometimes it's not the case."

Ginny bit her tongue and wondered why the elevator was taking so long.

"Now, about your next article, I've found something you might enjoy. Unfortunately, you will have to leave San Francisco for some time to accomplish being able to write it."

"Leave?" Ginny murmured. "Where is this article going to take me?"

"London," Mrs. Devlin said. "Southwest England to be exact."

Ginny thought for a moment, trying to remember why that sounded familiar, and then Samantha's words hit her.

"Have you heard of a man named Draco Malfoy?"

* * *

Steven and Grace were waiting for Ginny in her office as she opened the door. She hadn't even had the chance to sit down before she was fired with questions.

"How long has this been going on?"

"What did she say?"

"Are you fired?"

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Ginny massaged her temples as she glared at both of them, and then collapsed into the chair behind her desk.

"Grace, could you excuse us a moment? I need to talk to Steven."

When they were alone, Ginny looked at him.

"I wasn't aware we were telling people," she said, a frown tugging on the corners of her mouth.

"Grace was happy." He shrugged. "Besides, it's one person."

"You're forgetting Lucy," Ginny reminded him.

"So, what did she say?" Steven as he leaned against her desk. "Did you get fired?"

"Do you see me packing?" Ginny snapped. "Sorry. We're allowed to see each other."

"You're bullshitting me," Steven said.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I assure you that I'm not. For whatever reason she has for doing this, she's allowing us to be together."

He looked completely stunned. "Holy shit," he said. Then he bent his head and kissed her softly.

Ginny smiled.

"So, what are you doing after work?"

A frown touched Ginny's lips as she looked up at him. "She wants me to write another article so I might be here late."

He frowned and brought his lips to hers again. "Come to me when you're done," he said, smirking.

The moan she emitted seemed to excite him as he deepened the kiss.

"I'd love to," she murmured, "but I really do have to work."

"I can help you," he said, trailing his mouth to her ear. "You can bring your work with you, I'll cook you dinner, and we can have some wine."

"Mmm," she purred.

"Excellent," he said, running his fingers through her hair. "You get started on the paper now and I'll leave you alone."

"No," she said, pulling his face towards her. "You can stay, unless you have some of your own work to take care of."

"I can do it later," he whispered as he slid her jacket off her shoulders and let it fall on the chair. He growled when she bit his lip slightly and tangled her fingers in his hair.

When he started to say that what they were doing was a bad idea, Ginny's only response was to snake her hand down between them and grab him.

Steven groaned and pulled back.

"Save your energy," he said, panting slightly. "You're going to need it." He smirked then walked to the still-open door. "I'll see you later tonight."

Then he was gone.

* * *

A knock on Ginny's door an hour later broke her concentration. She stood and walked over to open it, finding Lucy standing there.

She thrust a manila-colored envelope at her.

"Here," said Lucy rather harshly.

"What's your problem?" Ginny asked.

"Like you don't know," Lucy snapped.

"I don't have time for this," said Ginny, narrowing her eyes. "So take your jealousy somewhere else."

She slammed the door and turned back to her desk. She emptied the envelope of its papers and looked through the articles.

One article in particular caught her attention.

_**Malfoy Heir Takes Wife.**_

As Ginny read, she was slightly fascinated by this still seemingly arrogant person that she had known when she went to school. He had done a lot after he left Hogwarts, aside from getting married.

There was a piece of paper with Samantha's handwriting on it, Ginny saw as she pushed the clippings out of the way.

Apparently, Malfoy had done quite a lot of business here before he went back home.

Ginny vaguely wondered how she was going to get in contact with someone who she knew would never speak to her.

She didn't really want to leave, but she didn't see any other choice.

She wondered how Steven would take the news when she told him tonight.

* * *

_Night couldn't have come soon enough_, Ginny thought, just as Steven walked into her office holding a stack of papers and looking grumpy.

"You look like you had a rough day," Ginny remarked as he came and sat on her desk. He placed the papers on his lap and stared at her.

"Nice observation," he snapped.

Ginny scowled at him.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, reaching over to stroke her cheek. "It's just that Devlin's got me on a fucking short leash today. I thought everything was okay?"

"That doesn't mean she can't want you to do a better job," said Ginny. "I have nothing to do with it."

"You break my focus," he admitted.

"That's because you're a pervert," Ginny muttered, leaning up to kiss him.

Steven smirked against her mouth and stood, pressing her back into the wall behind her desk. His hands were everywhere all at once and it was making her dizzy.

"Stop," Ginny moaned, resting her head on his shoulder.

"No," he said, his mouth hot against her neck as he trailed his lips and tongue down her skin. He had his fingers fisted in her long hair.

"I have to talk to you," she insisted, as much as she was enjoying this. "Please stop."

He pulled away reluctantly and blinked at her. "It must be serious for you to stop."

"I do have a mind of my – oh never mind – well, the article Samantha wants me to write, you see…" Ginny began.

"Out with it," Steven prompted. "Come on, it can't be all that bad, can it?"

Ginny took a breath and let the words out slowly, "It requires me to go back to London."

"What?" he said, his eyes widening. "You're not fucking serious?"

"Yeah, I am," she said. "But I'll be back before you know it."

"You're going to meet someone there," he muttered.

"No, I'm-"

"You used to live there!" Steven practically screamed. "I'm sure you have someone waiting for you."

"That's not true."

"Then promise me something," he said, eyeing her.

"What's that?" she wondered.

His grey eyes were soft, his smile sad.

"Come back to me."

* * *

It wasn't that easy to take a plane from San Francisco to London, and it personally wasn't Ginny's favorite means of travel. She much preferred being able to Apparate more than anything, even at the risk of splinching.

Seeing her family again after two years was going to be difficult, especially knowing how she'd left things with them. She'd never had the easiest time saying good to anyone.

Her parents had sent her letters, quite a few over the course of two years, and she hadn't replied to any of them. Even her brothers had written, and she had returned those.

In their letters, Molly and Arthur had asked to visit. They had stated that they would be very cautious around the Muggles if they were to come. They were still slightly astounded that Ginny could lives around so many of them and resist the urge to do magic.

It had been difficult to make the transition, and quite risky in everyone's opinion, but Ginny felt as though this was something she needed to do. She'd always liked the idea of getting her thoughts down on paper, ever since her first year at Hogwarts.

Now, as she looked around the streets, she noticed that not many things had changed within the past two years that she had been gone. She vaguely wondered if Diagon Alley still looked the same.

Exhaustion flooded Ginny then, as she walked down the street, her eyes falling on a familiar telephone booth. As she edged closer, she reached in her bag for her the box she kept her wand in. Finding it, she pulled it out.

"You look like you're lost," murmured an old woman as she passed Ginny. "Can I help you?"

"No, I'm fine." Ginny shrugged. "Thank you though."

She leaned against the building next to the phone booth and sighed. Her muscles ached and she could use a bath. Too busy ruminating of that delightful scenario, she didn't hear the footsteps approach then stop a few feet from her.

"Are you alright?" a soft voice asked.

Ginny's head rose, her brown eyes connecting with a stormy-grey pair, and she shook her head.

"Yes, I'm just tired," she said quietly.

"Are you sure?" the man asked. "I could call someone to come get you."

"Like a taxi?" she answered, staring at him. "I'm going to see my father soon. He works here."

The man gave her a look of confusion. "He works in a phone booth?"

Ginny stared down at the man's right hand, at the scar along the knuckles, then back at his eyes. She watched as he raised his hand to place it in his hair, ruffling the shaggy blonde strands slightly.

After she had seen a wand peering out from the pocket of his cloak, she relaxed slightly.

"He works for the Ministry," she mumbled.

"I knew you looked familiar," he said. Then he frowned. "You don't remember me, do you, Weaslette?"

Ginny stared at him again, a little startled that he would know her nickname. When her brain registered who it was, she let out a tiny gasp.

Draco Malfoy smirked at her and gave another nod.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Walking?" he offered, frowning. "More importantly, what are _you_ doing here? I thought you lived in America now."

Surprised that he knew such information, Ginny said, "I came back at the request of my boss."

"Does she need you to do an article?"

She wasn't sure how to explain things to him. Instead she said, "So, I heard you tied the knot."

"Then you heard old news," he said as he shifted uncomfortably. "I'm divorced."

"Oh," she said, "I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"Of course you didn't," he told her. "How could you? Malfoys like to not publicize their failures, you know."

"So," Ginny said, "you never did tell me why you were here. It doesn't seem like one of your usual hangouts."

"My usual hangout?" Draco inquired, raising an eyebrow. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Sorry," she said, shrugging. "Just answer the question, Malfoy."

"I did," he said, smirking at her. "I told you that I was out walking around and that's the truth. Now, answer my question."

"What was that?" Ginny asked as she let her bag slide to the ground. She stared at the phone booth and wondered if she should really interrupt her father's work.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked, his eyes flashing slightly as he stared down at her. His black trench coat billowed around his feet as he moved toward her.

"I already told you," said the petite redhead. "I'm back to do an article for my job."

"After two years?" he wondered, tiling his head. "That's a long time to be away from everyone."

"Yes, I realize that." she replied. "I had a lot going on."

"I'm sure you exchange letters," he said, nodding. "Father and Mother would make certain I wrote back if ever I was away for a long time."

"Unlike your parents, mine aren't wondering whether I've been servicing the Dark Lord for months on end," said Ginny defiantly.

"The Dark Lord has fallen, Ginny," Malfoy reminded her with a frown. "Or are you still stuck in the past?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow at him.

"What are you doing later?" he asked.

She blinked at him then said, "I'm going to see my family tonight. Why?"

"I thought maybe you'd like to get something to eat, if you weren't busy." He said.

A strange expression crossed Ginny's features. She froze and blinked at him, fighting the urge to laugh. "Why would you want to have dinner with me?"

"You've come back after two years," he reminded her. "Plus, you look like you could use some decent food."

"Is that a crack at my weight?" snapped the redhead.

"Absolutely not," he replied. "I merely meant that I think you should become accustomed to eating food here again."

"I've had my mother's cooking for years, Malfoy; I think I'll be alright." Ginny said as she picked up her bag once more. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go see my father."

She left him standing on the sidewalk.

* * *

Arthur Weasley had been working down the hall when he was called back to his office to find someone he didn't expect to be there waiting for him. She turned her head and caught his eye, grinning broadly.

"My God," he said, taking off his glasses to clean them. He blinked and put them back on. He ran a hand through his thin, red hair. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming back."

Ginny just smiled.

"Your mother will be happy to see you."

"I'm sorry I never wrote you back," Ginny said. "I really wanted to; I just had a lot going on with the magazine and everything."

A slow smile fell across her father's face at the mention of the magazine. "How is it going with that?"

"It's going good," she said. "That's the reason I came back. My boss wants me to do an article for the newspaper."

He frowned. "You're going to leave again after you've got what you need?"

Ginny looked at him and decided that chewing on the inside of her mouth was better than answering his question.

Thankfully, a distraction presented itself at that precise moment.

"Holy shit!"

"Ron!"

"Sorry. Ginny, is that really you?"

Ginny stared at him. "No, Ron, I'm secretly Voldemort in disguise." She rolled her eyes. "Aren't you going to say hello?"

Ron, who was looking slightly older since the last time she saw him, nodded and walked over to her.

"Hi," he said. "Why are you home?"

Arthur stared at his son with mild annoyance. "You could have greeted your sister nicer than that. You haven't seen her in two years, after all."

"What have you been doing?" he asked, his tone slightly chipped.

Ginny glared at him. "I've been making something of myself. What have _you_ been doing?"

The tips of Ron's ears reddened before he said, "Too busy to write?"

Ginny stared at him, her eyes narrowing.

"Alright!" Arthur said, standing between his two children. "Ginny, I suggest you head home before your mother hears from someone else that you're back. And Ron, get back to work."

Both siblings departed, and as Ginny left, she caught a glimpse of a tall blond standing near the receptionist desk.

"You're following me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's slightly creepy."

"I'm not following you," Draco murmured, looking up at her. He was folding a file in his hand. "I happen to work here."

"That's a horrible joke," said Ginny, shaking her head. "Why are you here?"

"Sadly, he's not kidding," said Ron from behind her. He shrugged.

Ginny's eyes widened as she pulled the jacket she wore closed and turned to face her brother. "Seriously?"

The other redhead nodded.

"But _why_?" she complained, pointing a finger at him. Then she turned around. "What's your angle, Malfoy?"

"Angle?" the blond said, frowning. "I'm certain I've no idea what you mean, Weasley."

"Oh, that's bullshit," said Ginny, glaring. "You're only here to snoop for your father, I know it."

Something strange had happened after those words left her mouth; instead of being angry like she was sure he would, Draco Malfoy actually looked _hurt_.

He stared at her, grey eyes cool as he dragged a hand through his hair. Though his demeanor calm, he felt something twist in his gut.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" he asked her suddenly, his tone bitter. "_You_ left! You left everything you'd ever known to pursue a goddamned job with _Muggles!_"

"I'm sorry I made something of myself!" Ginny shot back, her temper flaring. "At least I'm not still living in my parents' house, hiding, because people still suspect me of being a traitor!"

He advanced on her, then, his eyes dark. He took hold on her arm and pulled her away from Ron. He managed to get her outside before letting her go.

"What are you doing?" she snapped.

"Saving you from making a scene!" Draco snarled. "What are you really doing back?"

"I told you I was doing an article," she said. She knew she hadn't said a word about it.

He stared at her, his eyes widening. "You're doing an article on me, aren't you?"

"Why would you think that?"

"You work for Samantha Devlin, Ginny," he said, cocking his head. "She's been relentless in her attempts to get an interview with me, even when I returned home."

"What's so bad about being interviewed?" Ginny asked.

He chuckled. "If you were suspected of all the shit I was, would you want to be questioned for your alleged alliance with a madman?"

"No," she said. "I don't think I would."

"Alright, if we're through here, I've got to get back to work." He turned to leave.

"Hey, Malfoy?" Ginny mumbled behind him.

"Yes?" he said without turning around.

"I'm sorry about what I said, you know, about your parents."

This time he eyed her, his mouth twitching slightly as he said, "If you'd like to apologize to them, you're a little late. My parents are dead, Weasley."

Then he went back inside.

* * *

Molly Weasley had been planting in the garden when she heard a loud _crack_ from behind her. Instinctively, she grabbed her wand from its spot on the window sill, fully prepared to use it, and whirled around.

The watering can she held fell from her hands.

"You're home," she mumbled, staring at her daughter. "I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"If you were I'd probably be wearing one of the sweaters you made me," said Ginny, smirking.

Molly's eyes shone with tears as she laughed. "Oh, wait until your father hears about-"

"I've already been to see him," she explained. "Ron too."

"Oh, the twins will be so happy to see you."

"They still live here?" Ginny asked, stepped over to hug her mother tightly. A familiar tightening developed inside her and she squeaked out a sob.

"Don't cry," Molly said in a soft tone. "It's alright. You're home now and that's all that matters."

But that didn't stop Ginny from practically slobbering all over her mother's shoulder, even when she heard footsteps.

"We heard a noise and-"

"We thought might have been-"

"Ginny?"

Bill, Fred, and George stood by the backdoor, staring at the scene in front of them. No one spoke as they watched their sister wipe her eyes, and as she came over to them, she sniffled.

"I can't believe you're actually here," said Fred, looking at her.

"We thought you left for good," commented George.

"What didn't you write us back?" Bill wondered.

Thankfully, Molly intervened before Ginny could reply.

"I think it's best if we all go inside," their mother said as she looked up. "It appears it's going to rain."

Ginny breathed out a sigh as she grabbed her bag and walked into the Burrow.

"So," she said, looking around at her family. "What do you want to know?" She sat down at the kitchen table.

"How's America?" George asked unexpectedly.

"I-err-" his sister stammered.

The sky outside darkened drastically, and thunder rumbled lazily overhead as the sound of raindrops hit the windows. Lightning lit up the room, and then another crack sounded.

"Molly! Is Ginny-?"

"She's here, Arthur."

"Good," Mr. Weasley said as he came into view. Someone was with him. "Ginny, you have visitor."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Have you come to insult me? I don't think I'm in the mood." Ginny said.

"No," he said, dragging a hand through his blond hair.

"Then why are you even here?"

Draco let out a slow breath. "I came to apologize."

"Since when have you ever apologized for anything? I bet you didn't even say a word when you were killing-"

"That's enough!" Molly shouted. She stepped beside her daughter and turned her head. "Ginny, you've been gone a long time so you don't see that things have changed. You shouldn't judge anyone, especially not someone like Draco who sacrificed so much."

"You're actually defending him?" Ginny said, raising an eyebrow. "Mum, he worked for Voldemort and his dad was a _murderer_. Did you ever think that, out of everything his father taught him-?"

"Fuck you!" Draco snapped, growling at her. "Get this interview over with, will you? Then you can leave and go back to your precious job with those filthy Muggles."

"You're in my house, remember?" Ginny said. "_You_ can leave."

He didn't need to be asked twice as he Apparated away.

* * *

Wandering aimlessly around Diagon Alley the next morning had given Ginny time to think about what she had said to Malfoy, most of them terrible accusations, that she knew fairly soon she would regret.

She sat down in front of a shop window, staring at the people that passed, and took out a notebook and quill from her bag. She tried to concentrate, but it was too noisy.

"You know," said a voice, "you might have better luck doing that where it's quiet."

Ginny looked up. "Thanks, but I don't-"

Draco crouched down in front of her, frowning. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I've got a lot going on."

"Why are we fighting?" Ginny asked. "We haven't seen each other in-"

"I know," he murmured. Then he smirked. "I bet you're doing a lot of good being at that magazine. You were always such a good writer."

Ginny looked up, surprised. "How did you know that?"

"You dropped a paper in the library at school once," Draco said. "I just happened to find it and read it."

"Oh, you didn't," Ginny said sounding mortified. "Please tell me you're kidding."

"I didn't know you saw me differently than others," he said softly. "So I guess I should thank you for that."

"I-" Ginny said, clearly flustered.

He smiled slowly.

"I didn't do much, honestly, I was just being truthful."

"Truth is a valued by most," he said, glancing at her.

"So, what was your reason for helping people after I left?" Ginny asked. She shifted slightly.

"Because I wanted to," he replied. "Why does that still matter to you? You said it yourself that I was different. Was that only true back then?"

"I thought I could read people," she said, "even someone like you."

"What does that mean?" Draco asked, scratching his chin lightly.

"Do you want me to do the interview or not?" Ginny asked, changing the subject. "Just know that if I don't I'll probably get fired, then I'll have to come back here and kick your arse."

"Duly noted," he said, smirking. "But I was thinking about spending the day with you, if you'll let me, and then do the interview during dinner."

"Dinner?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If you want," he muttered. "I mean you don't have to, it was just a thought."

"It's a nice thought," Ginny said, smiling slightly. "Do you want me to meet you somewhere later?"

His grey eyes flickered slightly and he laughed. "You don't listen well, do you?"

"Apparently not," she said, looking confused.

"If you'd rather spend the day alone and have me pick up at the Burrow later, that's fine too." He shrugged.

"I shouldn't have dinner with you," Ginny said, her mind suddenly very aware of someone back in San Francisco waiting for her. "I have a-"

"Boyfriend?" Draco finished for her, though he didn't sound the least bit surprised. "It would strictly be a business meeting."

"I don't know-"

"It's just dinner," he prompted, raising an eyebrow. "What harm could it do?"

Ginny sighed, deciding that he was right. "Where should I meet you?"

"My parents' house," he told her before standing. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Ginny. I'll prepare myself for any questions you might throw at me."

Then he was gone.

* * *

"So, he's okay with you going to see Draco?" Hermione asked.

She had not only been surprised to hear from Ginny, to find out that she was home, but she had also been slightly irked that neither Ron or Molly told her first.

"Why would he care?" Ginny asked. "It's just dinner, plus I'm doing what I came here to do, which is to get the article done."

"But – oh never mind, it's none of my business." Hermione said as she sipped her tea.

They were sitting in The Leaky Cauldron, staring around at their cups when the bushy-haired girl sighed.

"What?" Ginny asked.

"I miss Ron," she said.

"You see him," responded Ginny softly. "You're with Harry anyway, aren't you?"

"Things kind of shifted between the two of us after Ron and me-"

"After Ron and you what?" Ginny asked. Then she frowned. "You _didn't_!"

Hermione choked on her tea, coughed. "It's not like we meant for it to happen." She stared at Ginny. "I mean it. Harry and I were already going through a rut when I went to talk to Ron for help. He gave me some Firewhiskey to calm my nerves, and one thing led to another."

Ginny hardly believed what she was being told, but she knew Hermione would never lie about something like that, because there would be nothing to gain.

"I'm sorry," she said. "So, are you going to tell Steven about it?"

"It's not important."

"You shouldn't lie to him. When you go back-"

"I might not be going back," Ginny said, chewing her bottom lip.

"What?" Hermione said. "Why not?"

"I missed being home so much," she said, frowning. "I missed my family and my friends. I don't belong with them."

"This has nothing to do with Dr-"

"Of course not!" Ginny started to laugh. "That's ridiculous. Why would you come to a conclusion like that?"

"Well, from what you were telling me, it seems like you like him."

"Are you drunk or something?" Ginny wondered.

Hermione frowned and looked at her cup. "It's just tea," she said defensively. "I was just saying what I thought. There's nothing wrong with that."

Immediately, Ginny thought of Grace and she felt slightly guilty. Not just for thinking about leaving her job, but also for coming back into the lives of people, who clearly were doing fine without her and in some cases (Ron's especially) didn't seem to want her back.

"I've got to get going," said Ginny as she gathered her things and stood.

"But we've got so much to talk about," said Hermione sullenly.

"I know, but I have things to do," she said.

"Yes, like Dr-"

"Shut up, Hermione.

"Shutting."

* * *

Once she was home and in her bedroom, Ginny went to her closet and tore through her bag of clothes, searching for something to wear.

"Ugh!"

A knock on the door interrupted her. She turned and glared.

"Do you need help?" her mother asked.

"No, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You sound like you could use a hand."

"I need something nice to wear. I have to go out to dinner," Ginny said as she opened the door. She stared at her mother. "Don't give me that face, Mum, it's to discuss business."

"With Draco?" Molly asked.

"Yes, Mum," Ginny practically groaned. "But it doesn't mean anything and people need to stop thinking I like him when I don't!"

"I wasn't thinking that," Molly said, clearly catching her daughter off guard. "Who said that to you?"

Ginny looked slightly embarrassed but composed herself quickly. "Hermione said something before when I saw her, then she started rambling on about how she and Ron-"

"How is she?" Molly asked cheerfully. "I haven't seen her in awhile."

Ginny was thankful for the change of subject, because she was fairly certain that her mother didn't want to hear the rest of that story.

"She seems to be doing okay."

"Well," Molly said as she came further into the room. "What kind of dress do you need?"

"Something nice."

"If it's a business dinner, why don't you dress professionally?"

"That sounds better," said Ginny. She looked over at the black slacks and white blouse laid out on her bed.

"I'm sure he'll like whatever you wear," said Molly thoughtfully.

"Mum!"

"I was only kidding," Mrs. Weasley muttered, grinning. "So what time is he getting you?"

"I'm meeting him at his parents' house," she said as she put away all of the extra clothes she had taken out.

"Are you nervous?"

"It's just dinner," Ginny reminded her. "It's not like it's a date."

"So you don't like him?" Molly asked as she moved toward the window to look out at the garden below. "It seems to me that you might. What, what all the fighting you two have been doing since you've arrived back."

"That has nothing to do with it," Ginny snapped, feeling suddenly irritable. Then she shook her head. "He's a jerk, that's why we fought. You're starting to sound like Hermione."

"Am I now?" her mother asked. "Well, maybe we can see something that you can't."

"He's such an arrogant bastard!"

"Be that as it may, let me ask you something."

Ginny sat on her bed, waiting.

"Are you attracted to Draco?"

"I-" Ginny mumbled. "I can't be. Mum, I have a boyfriend back in San Francisco."

"You do?" Molly asked, slightly surprised. "Why didn't you say something before?"

"Because," Ginny said quietly, "I might not be going back."

"You have the perfect job."

"With Muggles!" Ginny exclaimed. "Don't you see? Draco was right. I'm not cut out for that type of thing. I'm _not_ like them."

"Draco said that to you?" Molly said sharply. "What gives him the right?"

"He _was_ right!" Ginny argued. "I left everyone to do a job because I-"

"You did it because you wanted to, Ginny," Molly said softly, coming around the bed. She bent down to kiss her daughter on the forehead. "You did the right thing, no matter how much it seems like you didn't."

"But I-" she sniffled.

"No one's mad at you," Molly whispered. "I promise you. Now, I'll leave you alone so you can get ready for your dateless dinner."

Ginny glowered at her mother as she left.

She looked over at the pillows on her bed and stared at the black teddy bear settled between them. He had been given to her by Bill one day and she'd slept with it every night, especially when Bill left home.

Ginny grabbed the bear, pulled at its black ears, and watched the stiffing come out onto her fingers before she let it fall to the floor.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and she turned her head.

"Hello," he said, coming into the room. He took one look at her and the bear, and he started to smirk. "I see you're in the middle of something. Would you like me to come back?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. I thought I was meeting you at your parents."

"This is too pink," Draco said suddenly.

"It's a girl's room," Ginny said, shaking her head. "What color did you expect it to be?"

"Not this," he said truthfully. "It's too girly."

"What are you doing here?" she asked again.

"I came to get you," he said, smiling. "I figured you'd rather not travel to a strange place alone."

"You came all the way to-"

"It wasn't that hard since I Apparated, but yes, I did." His eyes roamed over her attire slowly as he spoke. "You look nice."

Ginny smiled and moved toward him. She blinked as he offered his arm.

"You're supposed to take that," he said, smirking. "Oh, come on, I won't bite."

He slid his free arm around her waist, pulling her tightly against him. As they vanished, and the bear fell to the floor, Ginny had a feeling that he might not be able to keep his mouth to himself.

* * *

They landed directly in front of the large mansion. Ginny looked at it in awe before she noticed that he still had his arm around her waist and didn't seem to be removing it, even as she took a step to the side.

"You can let me go," she said.

"What would be the fun in that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. He smirked at her as he opened the door and led her inside.

Ginny's eyes immediately drew to the staircase as they entered, then she looked over at Draco.

"Is your room up there?" she asked.

He let her go, finally, and leaned against the railing. "What did you think – I lived in the cellar? That's where we keep our prisoners."

She frowned.

"That's a joke, Gin," he said, grinning.

"It's not funny," she mumbled, glancing at him. "What are we doing here anyway? I thought we were going out to dinner?"

"We are," he said. "I just wanted to show you around. Is that so bad?"

"No," she muttered, stepping beside him. "It's a lovely house."

"You haven't seen everything," he said as he started walking down a large hallway. "I want you to see my fathers' study. You like books, don't you?"

Ginny followed close behind, nodding.

He stopped in front of a large metal door, and then glanced back at Ginny.

"The Hogwarts library is an embarrassment compared to this," he said as he pushed the door open.

He had spoken the truth, Ginny noticed as she stared around at the numerous shelves of books. She vaguely wondered about how Hermione would react when she heard about this, and she smiled.

There was a window that overlooked the ground outside, and a mahogany-colored desk was there, too, along with a chair and a side table where two old liquor bottles sat.

"My father liked to drink," Draco said before she could ask. "He would always have something out for any guest that came to the house."

Ginny walked over and picked up one of the bottles.

"It's dusty," she mumbled. "I guess people don't come around too often."

"We closed off this wing of the house when my father died," Draco explained softly. "Mother never liked that he kept Firewhiskey around, because he would drink a lot of it at a time."

Ginny frowned as she listened. She'd hardly thought of Draco Malfoy as someone who would open up easily about things, especially since the subject was that of his parents.

She moved to stand by him. "Was he a bad drunk?"

Draco chuckled dryly. "It depended on how his day went."

Ginny's eyes widened slightly and she looked around. "That's horrible."

"It was a small price to pay when he died," said Draco as he sat down at the desk. He was holding one of the dusty liquor bottles. "I expected that, but not for my mother to be taken as well."

"How did she die?" Ginny asked softly.

"That's the funny thing," he said, his voice tight, "They said she died of a heart attack."

"What's so strange about that? It happens often enough."

"Not to my mother!" he shouted suddenly, slamming his fist on the table. He watched the bottle topple over before he looked up at her, his grey eyes glassy. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said as she knelt down. She watched his free hand twitch and slid across his knee, and then he reached for her hand. "You know what? I think we should go to dinner." She said quickly, standing.

He stood slowly and looked down at her angrily.

"I think you should leave."

"What?" she said, wondering if she'd heard him correctly.

"You're deaf, apparently, I see?" he muttered harshly. "I said you should leave."

"But I don't understand-"

"Get the hell out!" he shouted

Ginny, though quite stung at his sudden change in demeanor, didn't need to be told again as she Apparated from the spot.

Shaking slightly, Draco ran a hand through his hair and opened the bottle of Firewhiskey. It burned his throat and tasted bitter as he drank, but he didn't care. He dropped it on the desk and sank into the chair.

Old liquor was the least of his problems now.

* * *

She sat in the Leaky Cauldron for a long time, mauling over what had happened, and trying to piece together what she had done wrong to make him act the way that he had. It wasn't until she felt the table shift that she realized it.

"He has feelings for me," she mumbled, nursing a cup of tea. "I feel like shit."

"You shouldn't," said Hermione. "You do have a boyfriend, remember?"

"I can't be with Steven anymore," said Ginny miserably.

"You're going to ruin a good thing for someone you barely know?" replied Hermione tersely. "And what about your job?"

"You're the one who told me that I liked the bastard!" Ginny practically shouted. "Now you're going back on it because I don't know him? Hermione, we all went to school together."

"Yes, we did, but when did you ever actually _talk_ to Malfoy?"

"Never but I-"

"Maybe," Hermione said thoughtfully, "you missed this world so much that you wanted to attach yourself to someone so you would have a reason to stay."

"Why is it so hard to believe that I might actually-" Ginny stopped speaking, her eyes widening. "You tricked me."

The bushy-haired girl smirked.

"I'm surprised my mother hadn't tried that," said Ginny with a frown. "She knew too, which was the eerie thing."

Hermione only smiled. "So, are you going to tell him?"

"No," Ginny said as she drank her tea. "Maybe he's right. Maybe I should go back to San Francisco after I get the interview with him."

"Do you think he'd want to after what happened?"

"You're saying that like it's my fault," explained Ginny, raising an eyebrow. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Well, you did sort of back off when he needed comfort," responded Hermione. "So I don't really blame him for being angry."

Ginny stared at her friend in disbelief, and then she frowned.

"Okay, now I really feel bad."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Ginny smiled somberly and stood up. "I should go apologize to him."

"He might like that."

Ginny turned to leave, but as she got halfway to the door, she looked back. "You should go see Ron; I know he misses you too."

* * *

He was pacing in his father's study when he heard something crash in the entrance hall. He growled to himself and started down the hall, muttering.

"If you would kindly leave, Blaise, that would be-"

But it wasn't Blaise, as Draco had suspected, instead it was a small redheaded girl covered in soot. She was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling, a table knocked over beside her.

"Sorry," she muttered when she saw him. He didn't look as angry as before, which Ginny was thankful for. She watched as he came over to her and knelt down.

"Are you alright?" he asked, a small smirk tugging at his mouth.

"Yes," she said softly. "I think I broke your table though."

Draco chuckled, took out his wand, and pointed at the table, effectively repairing it. He put his wand in his back pocket and took hold of her hand, a little startled at the surge of electricity that went through him when he did.

"How did you manage to get all the way over here?" he asked as he helped her up. He watched her cheeks turn slightly pink before she answered.

"I fell," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to."

"Of course not," he said as he looked at her. "Do you want to use my shower to get cleaned up?"

"Why are you still here?" Ginny asked, looking up at him. "I thought you'd be back at your flat by now."

"I thought you might be back and I never told you where my flat was located," he said simply.

"I feel horrible about what happened before."

He frowned at her and pulled out his wand again. He conjured a towel, two glasses, and some wine.

"Are you sure you don't want to get cleaned up?" He asked, sniffing the air. He cringed and smirked at her face.

He offered her the towel and after she took it, he placed the wine and glasses on the table she hadn't managed to destroy.

"Why are you being so nice?" Ginny asked.

"Malfoys are gentlemanly, regardless," he said softly, staring at her. He ran a hand through his hair and sat down on the couch, eyeing her. "Why are you being so difficult?"

"Weasleys are difficult," she replied, smirking.

"Stubborn as anything, too," he added.

"So, are we just going to ignore what happened before?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow. She took her hair down and shook it.

"Can we talk about your boyfriend?" Draco asked, smirking. "I'd love to know how you met."

Ginny rolled her eyes and sat beside him. "You don't really want to hear about you, do you?"

"Not especially," he said, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "I was just kidding."

Ginny blinked at him.

"Well, what do you want to talk about?"

"You're covered in soot," he reminded her. "I refuse to continue this conversation until you take a shower."

"Bastard," she muttered as she stood. "Where is it?"

"My room is at the end of the hallway upstairs, you can use mine," he said, leaning back to look at her.

"Alright," she said.

He watched her ascend the stairs and kept his eyes on her until she disappeared, then he rested his head in his hands. Everything that had happened since the girl came back bothered him.

She had no idea what had become of everyone after she'd vanished, how much he had actually done for them, how much he had given up to protect the people that long ago deemed him untrustworthy.

"You look stressed," said a voice.

He blinked a few times as he looked up, trying to figure out if he was imagining what he was seeing – Ginny Weasley was standing in the middle of his living room wearing one of his white shirts. When she took a step toward him, Draco caught himself staring at her legs, slightly memorized by them.

"You're staring," she said as she sat down and crossed her legs.

"You're wearing one of my shirts," he mumbled sheepishly.

"Yes," she said. "My clothes are dirty."

"Can't you just use your-"

"No, I can't," she replied, smirking. "Besides, this feels nice."

He watched her undo the towel on her head, her hair falling against her shoulders in an incredibly sexy way. He cleared his throat.

"I can't talk to you when you're wearing my clothes," he said, glancing at the floor. "I'll get you something else."

She frowned as he conjured a pair of pajama pants and handed them to her. She slipped them on her and he looked at her.

"Better?" she mumbled.

"I still might need to take a cold shower," he said, smirking.

"Why don't you just say it?" Ginny snapped. "You like me."

"No, I don't." Draco shrugged.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you don't."

He watched as she moved closer to him, her brown eyes very focused on something. Her fingers felt very warm as they touched his neck, and she used that as a way to pull herself against him, her lips inches from his.

With deliberate slowness, his lips grazed hers. She exhaled as he pressed his mouth against hers, his hands sliding down every contour of her curves. He let his tongue wander carelessly into her mouth, and felt her moan sharply as his hands came to tangle in her hair, letting his fingers twist and tug at the strands of fiery red.

"Mmm," she muttered, slowly pulling away. "Thank you."

He looked at her, a slightly dazed expression coming across his face. "For what?"

"For showing me what I was missing by being gone," she whispered.

He blinked at her. "What about your job?"

"They'll get along good without me."

"Boyfriend?"

"Oh, he'll be pissed as hell when I tell him, but he'll get over it. Besides, there's a receptionist who has her eye on him."

Draco chuckled.

"My family will be happy," she said. "I'll see if I can get a job at the Ministry and-"

"That would give me a reason to _want_ to go to work."

Ginny laughed and leaned against him.

"How about some wine to celebrate?" he asked.

He blinked as Ginny already had the glass in her hand and was pouring the liquid into it. "I'm already a step ahead of you."

He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers before he wrapped his fingers around the glass and took it from her.

"Now we're even."

* * *

"I want to know when you stopped hating me," said Ginny as she had her head against his chest. They were lying in on the couch in her flat with a bottle of wine open. She had her feet on one of the armrests as he stroked her hair.

"That's a very direct question," said Draco as he placed his feet on her coffee table. "Luckily for you I have an excellent memory."

Ginny was staring at the boxes scattered around the flat. She had gone back to San Francisco two months ago to get everything, and to take care of what she needed to. It had been a safe bet that both Samantha and Steven were upset when she told them she wasn't coming back, Grace as well, but what was unexpected was Lucy.

In light of Ginny's departure, Steven had sought out comfort in a very obvious way. When Ginny had learned that he and Lucy slept together, she couldn't have been happier. He had apologized countless times, though it didn't really matter; he was better off.

Ginny turned her head and caught Draco's lips softly as he bent to kiss her. "So, come on, out with it."

"Remember when you did the Bat Bogey Hex to me in fifth year?" he asked.

She giggled.

"I knew you were a lot stronger than you let on. I have respect for woman like that," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. "That's when I decided to change how _I _thought about you."

"Did you ever think that this would happen?" she asked, staring up at him.

"Never," he replied.

Ginny smiled and curled herself into him. "I wish I had known I liked you before everyone else," she murmured.

"It seems like both of us were the last to know in this case," he said as he grinned at her.

Ginny's only response was to tug his mouth down toward hers.

**ORIGINAL REQUEST:**  
**Briefly describe what you'd like to receive in your fic**: I'd like to  
see them fighting their own feelings for each other, lying outright if  
necessary (the other can know their lying) as they fall closer to each  
other. By the time they're ready to *admit* their feelings, they're  
already past the point of no return.  
**The tone/mood of the fic:** witty, sarcastic, some angst is good  
**An element/line of dialogue/object you would specifically like in your fic:** When he looks back, Draco can point to the bat bogey hex as when  
he started to view her differently because he respected her ability as  
a witch.  
**Preferred rating of the the fic you want:** PG13-R  
**Canon or AU?** Canon preferred


End file.
